diff --git a/include/ss/converter.hpp b/include/ss/converter.hpp
index 76a4950..65548dd 100644
--- a/include/ss/converter.hpp
+++ b/include/ss/converter.hpp
@@ -344,39 +344,6 @@ private:
         }
     }
 
-    void set_error_invalid_mapping() {
-        constexpr static auto error_msg = "received empty mapping";
-
-        if constexpr (string_error) {
-            error_.clear();
-            error_.append(error_msg);
-        } else if constexpr (throw_on_error) {
-            throw ss::exception{error_msg};
-        } else {
-            error_ = true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    void set_error_mapping_out_of_range(size_t maximum_index,
-                                        size_t number_of_columnts) {
-        constexpr static auto error_msg1 = "maximum index: ";
-        constexpr static auto error_msg2 = ", greater than number of columns: ";
-
-        if constexpr (string_error) {
-            error_.clear();
-            error_.append(error_msg1)
-                .append(std::to_string(maximum_index))
-                .append(error_msg2)
-                .append(std::to_string(number_of_columnts));
-        } else if constexpr (throw_on_error) {
-            throw ss::exception{error_msg1 + std::to_string(maximum_index) +
-                                error_msg2 +
-                                std::to_string(number_of_columnts)};
-        } else {
-            error_ = true;
-        }
-    }
-
     ////////////////
     // convert implementation
     ////////////////
@@ -433,19 +400,9 @@ private:
         return column_mappings_[tuple_position];
     }
 
+    // assumes positions are valid and the vector is not empty
     void set_column_mapping(std::vector<size_t> positions,
                             size_t number_of_columns) {
-        if (positions.empty()) {
-            set_error_invalid_mapping();
-            return;
-        }
-
-        auto max_index = *std::max_element(positions.begin(), positions.end());
-        if (max_index >= number_of_columns) {
-            set_error_mapping_out_of_range(max_index, number_of_columns);
-            return;
-        }
-
         column_mappings_ = positions;
         number_of_columns_ = number_of_columns;
     }
diff --git a/include/ss/parser.hpp b/include/ss/parser.hpp
index bddfe80..9d2188d 100644
--- a/include/ss/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/ss/parser.hpp
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ public:
         }
 
         auto fields = std::vector<std::string>{fields_args...};
+
+        if (fields.empty()) {
+            set_error_empty_mapping();
+            return;
+        }
+
         std::vector<size_t> column_mappings;
 
         for (const auto& field : fields) {
@@ -159,6 +165,7 @@ public:
         reader_.converter_.set_column_mapping(column_mappings, header_.size());
         reader_.next_line_converter_.set_column_mapping(column_mappings,
                                                         header_.size());
+
         if (line() == 0) {
             ignore_next();
         }
@@ -485,15 +492,11 @@ private:
 
     void set_error_invalid_conversion() {
         if constexpr (string_error) {
-            // TODO remove buffer from error msg
             error_.append(file_name_)
                 .append(" ")
                 .append(std::to_string(reader_.line_number_))
                 .append(": ")
-                .append(reader_.converter_.error_msg())
-                .append(": \"")
-                .append(reader_.buffer_)
-                .append("\"");
+                .append(reader_.converter_.error_msg());
         } else if constexpr (!throw_on_error) {
             error_ = true;
         }
@@ -538,6 +541,19 @@ private:
         }
     }
 
+    void set_error_empty_mapping() {
+        constexpr static auto error_msg = "received empty mapping";
+
+        if constexpr (string_error) {
+            error_.clear();
+            error_.append(error_msg);
+        } else if constexpr (throw_on_error) {
+            throw ss::exception{error_msg};
+        } else {
+            error_ = true;
+        }
+    }
+
     ////////////////
     // line reading
     ////////////////
diff --git a/test/test_converter.cpp b/test/test_converter.cpp
index d0d18af..6dd4562 100644
--- a/test/test_converter.cpp
+++ b/test/test_converter.cpp
@@ -978,3 +978,4 @@ TEST_CASE("converter test invalid split conversions with exceptions") {
         buff(R"(just,some,2,"strings\")")));
     CHECK(c.unterminated_quote());
 }
+
diff --git a/test/test_parser.cpp b/test/test_parser.cpp
index 6581b20..393e624 100644
--- a/test/test_parser.cpp
+++ b/test/test_parser.cpp
@@ -1168,14 +1168,12 @@ void test_invalid_fields_impl(const std::vector<std::string>& lines,
     }
     out.close();
 
-    /* TODO test
     {
         // No fields specified
         ss::parser<Ts...> p{f.name, ","};
-        p.use_fields();
-        CHECK(!p.valid());
+        auto command = [&] { p.use_fields(); };
+        expect_error_on_command(p, command);
     }
-    */
 
     {
         // Unknown field